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Gucci's hairy ad

Gucci marks the spot with a G in their latest press campaign, model Carmen Kass* is pictured pulling down her knickers and showing off body hair shaved into the letter 'G'.

Mario Testino shot the image he calls 'Pubic Enemy' and it's displayed in Vogue's February edition. Some people have called the image 'vile, coarse and degrading to women'.

The Advertising Standards Authority in the UK, which has the power to ban offensive material, said it was investigating after receiving a number of complaints.

Gucci boss Tom Ford is used to this kind of attention, he was behind the controversial images of model Sophie Dahl in the Yves St Laurent Opium perfume campaign two years ago. It became the most complained about ad in the ASA's history. Also he sells perfume with full frontal male nudity.

John Beyer, director of Mediawatchuk, called for an immediate ban of the image;

"The companies involved clearly release these kind of pictures to create as much publicity as possible, but it's a thoroughly unpleasant and irresponsible tactic. We can't simply ignore them.

Imagery showing young women in this way is extremely harmful to society, and should not be appearing in mainstream magazines.

The ASA has a duty to ensure that advertisements are decent, and this clearly isn't. It's deeply offensive and should be banned immediately."

A spokesman for Gucci lets us know: "All our important players are in Milan at the moment and nobody is around to speak about the picture." Toasting in grappa, for a controversial stunt well done, I'm sure.

Comments

Oh dear - according to Sundays The Times the model is not Carmen here - but Louise Pedersen. There is another image from this campaign showing a male model about to spank the skinny tush of a dressed female model - that butt might be Carmens. Guess we got them mixed up - they all look like toothpicks to me. ;-)

Oh.. Now Vogue is saying it aint Carmen here either - see this link to vogues website...

Quote from Ford: "This campaign doesn't upset me," he told The Sunday Times this weekend. "I think it's great. The G-spot is the ultimate in branding. I even considered selling a Gucci waxing kit in the stores. My goal when I make ad campaigns is to create an arresting image. Since 1995 we have been famous for being sexual and provocative. That's what we do."

I applaud Tom Ford's ads. Instead of being offended by a little snatch hair, we should laud him for even allowing a bit of hair to show on a model. The image of the perfect woman contains no hair; usually hair on a woman's crotch is considered an eyesore.

About the penis ad, I'm shocked that people get so upset about seeing an offending penis when they also say that clothing ads objectify women. What, women can be sex objects, but men can't?

I totally agree!
Go Tom and Mario!!
Thanks for giving us something to talk about and to look at!!!!
What better from of advertising is there??
Seems to have caught a lot of peoples eyes!!!
The next inage of the campaign is awesome also!!
The best looking male model ever in a gucci suit spanking a girls bottom!!!!
If only I could be laying across his lap in MY
Gucci dress!!!!!

the funniest thing about this huge hype about the ad is, that the jackett the kneeling guy is wearing shows a japanese geisha carressing the erect penis of the kicked back japanese man.
this makes the whole thing even more delicate, and i find it very funny, that nobody has noticed this!!!
I love the ad and I liked that cool silk jackett so much that I went to sloane street today and got it for myself. lol

It's rather interesting how the woman's face is not seen (showing its only her body that matters, not her), and she's almost undressed and pulling down her panties, yet the man is fully clothed and "enjoying" her. The real harm in this ad isn't so much the pubic hair as it is the objectifying of women.

Not only do I agree that this is totally empowering to women - "get on your knees and pleasure me, big boy" comes to mind - but I also heard there may be another ad of this type that shows the woman's face, and there's supposed to be a different guy. (Would love to find this ad if anyone knows of it.)

So, do you feel better now that the woman's face is shown and it's ALL of her getting lovin'?

While I like the photography HDR, I'm sooooooo tired of the lack of creativity and the fall back on sex. I think it takes more mental capability to come up with a campaign that captivates people without incorporating sex.